Posted on 01/03/2021 9:03:51 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
Canadian police pressed charges against all six elders of Trinity Bible Chapel in Breslau, Ontario for holding services last Sunday.
All six elders must now appear in criminal court, where they could face a fine of $10,000.
Here was the church's epic response:
"We are peaceful family men seeking to pastorally care for our families and our church in sincere obedience to God. We are not criminals. Officers from the Waterloo Region Police Service (WRPS) showed up at each of our homes last night at roughly 8pm and gave us each a summons to court. While other pastors in Ontario have faced similar charges under the [Reopening Ontario Act]for holding church services, to our knowledge this is the first time that each and every member of an entire elders board has been charged for gathering a church to worship. Although we know of officers within the WRPS who personally disagree with these charges, it appears the WRPS is trying to make an example of us. For years we have taught our children to respect police, and now our children and grandchildren are witness to their fathers and grandfathers receiving charges from police for worshipping Christ with our church. It is a dark day for Waterloo Region and Ontario."
The church went on to say that not a single COVID-19 has been traced back to them since they re-opened in June. They also detailed how keeping the church open has been important to their community:
"Instead, we have heard a plethora of stories from many of our congregants about how they were negatively affected spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and financially during the first lockdown."
On December 3, the church sent a letter to authorities stating that they would not shut down again due to the rise in 'Rona cases. The title of that letter was "Here we Stand: The Church Must Meet."
"Not one of our officials replied with an attempt to work with us," the church continued. "Our church community has become a vital refuge for hundreds of people during these times of despair. Our government is destroying our society to prevent the spread of a virus with a fraction of a fractional death rate. This is evil."
The church then warned authorities of the cyclical nature of history:
"We have ancestors who fought in wars to protect us from state abuses of this nature, and many of our families fled police states that eerily resemble what we are being subjected to at the present. Our high school teachers, parents, and grandparents warned us against governments that act this way."
After taking aim at specific examples of hypocrisy from local officials, the church then dropped the A-bomb:
"Our Saviour shed His blood to purchase the church, and therefore deeming the church 'unessential' is tantamount to deeming the blood of Christ unessential, which is a public act of blasphemy. One day our elected officials, bureaucrats, and police will stand before the court of God's justice for these acts. We earnestly pray that the Holy Spirit would draw them to his Son, Jesus Christ, who offers free grace and forgiveness to all who would repent and put their faith in him. Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and therefore we must honour and obey him above all earthly governments."
As if they hadn't just thrown down the gauntlet enough, Trinity Bible Chapel ended their statement with a little C.S. Lewis, like an extra helping of cheese on a truth burger.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C.S. Lewis
Pray for Trinity Bible Chapel, folks.
It’s Canada who cares?
Goal of the left: force people to choose between their religion and jail. Choose your religion, you’re in jail.
They’re not even a real country anyway.
Meanwhile, if you say you’re ‘peacefully protesting’, as you burn cities down, or harass elderly conservatives, you get a pass. Don’t worry about all that silly old social distancing.
You can block any freeway you want. You can bang on the driver’s car windows, hit his fender’s with bike chains too, when they try to drive around you.
No problem.
Ia angry beyond all words.
It’s an inspiring story. Thanks for posting.
God bless these people.
They speak for us, here, as well.
Thank you for posting this.
That particular church is less than twenty miles from where I live.
Wonderful letter.
Thank you.
Amen!
Wonderful letter.
Thank you.
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Absolutely!
I wonder why no one thinks to questions why humans first and last thousands and thousands of years ago, built towns, villages, way stops, etc., etc. etc. Living in isolation is a death knell to arts, crafts, music, and philisophical thought and the bedrock of all of it was the development and support of religion which pointed the ways to correct behaviors, loving behaviors, help for our fellow people,..
What is wrong with “thinking” people? I will rebel with you if you just will do it. I cannot do it alone. I am too old and too sick so it is time for the hale and hearty to do this and we will do it, too.
Will that be the right hand or the forehead?
You know the day is coming
The Elders said declaring a church gathering as unessential is blasphemous. “Do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together.” That would make the government magistrates, courts, and other authorities are heretics. No
The nature of government is oppressive. The nature of God is liberty. We must all choose on an individual basis. He is calling out to us all.
With all due respect, I must say that there are many, many people who have relatives across the border, or who live in one country and work in the other.
Like it or not, Canada and the United States are tied together. Like the sons of England. The U.S. is the older brother who constantly has to fix his little brother’s problems.
And little bro is always mad at big bro because he thinks he can do it better.
Plus, he’s jealous of how big brother really got free of the apron strings, while he, the little guy, was always too afraid to do it. LOL!
Ping.
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